Islamabad: Over the past week, at least 40 humanitarian flights have arrived in Pakistan carrying tonnes of urgently needed relief goods including food, tents and medical supplies to support the vulnerable flood-affected families, officials said.
UAE, Turkey, and China are leading humanitarian efforts with 31 flights. Pakistan has received 16 flights of relief goods from the United Arab Emirates, 11 from Turkey, four from China, three from Qatar, two from UNHCR and one each from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, France and UNICEF.
The aid flights are helping strengthen the ongoing response to the devastating floods in the country.
More than 6.4 million people are in dire need of humanitarian aid in Pakistan after the catastrophic floods affected more than 33 million and killed at least 1,314 people including 458 children since mid-June.
Turkey - 11
China - 4
Qatar - 3
Uzbekistan - 1
Turkmenistan - 1
France - 1
UNHCR - 2
UNICEF - 1
UAE air bridge continues to provide relief to flood victims
In the past week, UAE has sent 16 flights to deliver much-needed food, medical supplies and tents to the flood-affected communities. The 15th flight landed at the Islamabad airport on September 4 ensuring the continuation of relief operation under the humanitarian air bridge established between Pakistan and UAE. “Pakistan is grateful to the government and people of UAE for showing solidarity and support in this hour of need,” Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the leaders and people of UAE for timely and valuable assistance for the people of Pakistan in times of crisis.
Emirates offers free cargo capacity for aid to Pakistan
UAE’s Emirates airline has announced free cargo capacity for aid to Pakistan via its passenger flights. “To support communities in Pakistan affected by floods, Emirates is offering cargo capacity free of charge for NGOs to transport essential relief goods through the International Humanitarian City,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, said in a tweet.
Turkey sends aid via planes and trains
Turkey has so far sent 11 cargo aircraft and two trains loaded with tonnes of relief goods including food, tents, blankets and medical aid for the affected people. “We are on the ground. We are on the road. We are on the rail. We are on the air. We stand with you Pakistan” said Dr Kerem Kinik, President of the Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay). The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) sent relief aid of about 10,000 tents, 50,000 food parcels, 50,000 hygiene materials and 10,000 parcels of baby food to the flood areas
China sends aid and $400 million yuan worth of support
China has sent four planeloads of humanitarian aid to Pakistan. China dispatched its largest military cargo aircraft Y-20 military to send large volumes of relief goods to Pakistan, including 3,000 tents that are urgently needed as millions are homeless and living under the open sky. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged 400 million Yuan ($158 million) worth of assistance package for affected Pakistanis. A heartwarming gesture by a Chinese kid named Mingxuan to donate his money to flood-affected children in Pakistan has drawn praise on social media. This is “indeed a touching and heartwarming gesture. Thank you our little friend” said Moin ul Haque, Pakistani Ambassador to China.
Other aid flights and assistance
Three Qatar Emiri Air Force aircraft have also arrived in Pakistan with aid supplies for flood-affected people. The Central Asian states, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, have each sent one humanitarian flight loaded with food and medical supplies.
On Monday morning, the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR started airlifting humanitarian supplies for Pakistan’s flood-affected people from Dubai. The first two of nine flights landed on September 5 with emergency relief items that were rushed to Sukkur and Jamshoro in Sindh province, UNHCR Pakistan said. On September 4, the first UNICEF flight carrying urgent supplies including medicines and health kits landed at Jinnah International Airport Karachi. On September 3, France sent the first humanitarian aid flight to Islamabad carrying relief material including high-capacity water pumps, tents and survival and hygiene kits for flood victims, and also a medical team to provide assistance to Pakistani authorities as part of the assistance directed by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Pakistan Foreign Office says that countries and international organisations that have pledged support and are extending cash or in-kind assistance include Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, China, EU, France, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, Qatar, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, UAE, UK, US, Uzbekistan, along with World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and other UN agencies.
